


Sunflowers & Moonlight

by Astronaut_Milky



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, First Meetings, Florists, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-05-06 21:19:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14656452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astronaut_Milky/pseuds/Astronaut_Milky
Summary: There is a language, little known,Lovers claim it as their own.Its symbols smile upon the land,Wrought by nature’s wondrous hand;And in their silent beauty speak,Of life and joy, to those who seekFor Love Divine and sunny hoursIn the language of the flowers.--Sonny is a florist with a crush.





	1. Drown in You

**Author's Note:**

> I was flying home after Mother's Day and wrote this first chapter on the plane.
> 
> This is probably my first time posting something where I don't know how many chapters it'll be, but I hope you all join me along this ride.
> 
> Many thanks tobeconspicuous for the beta, you absolute bloody legend.

It was almost nine a.m. when Sonny unlocked the glass door to his shop, ready to start the day. He glanced around his livelihood, his store - Bello Fiore. It was a little humble, a little rustic, but so wholly his. He had spent years saving, studying, working himself to the bone, all for this.

 

Being a florist had never been the plan. His dad had pushed for him to follow in his footsteps, to become a cop. Sonny had even taken that path for a while, making it all the way to being a detective. But the job was cruel, harsh. It cut Sonny down, slowly but surely. The day he watched a man -- no, not a man. A vile specimen, who murdered both this children… the day he watched that man get off scot-free, was the day Sonny handed in his resignation. It was too much.

 

 _Bello Fiore_.

 

A place filled with beautiful flowers, bright colours, and something for every occasion.

 

With a deep, satisfying breath, Sonny stepped behind the counter, picking up his takeaway coffee cup as he did. Sure, he loved his job. But that didn't mean he couldn't wait for the day to be over. He gulped down some of the bitter drink, begging it to give him some energy.

 

At nine o’clock, on the dot, the front door bell rang as someone pushed it open.

 

Sonny nearly groaned. Normally his day didn't get too busy until around eleven, even on a Friday, but today was clearly going to be one of those early starts.

 

He lifted his head, ready to plant a winning smile on his lips, when the air left his lungs, and the whole world stopped, just for a moment.

 

The customer was absolutely stunning. In his dark charcoal suit, fitted so perfectly in all the right places, he stood out amongst the rainbow of petals surrounding him.

 

“Can I help you?” he croaked out before he could stop himself, instantly cringing at the high-pitched tone of his voice. Sonny didn't think his throat could get any drier. That is, until the man turned around to face him.

 

 _Oh shit_.

 

That's all Sonny could think as he tried to comprehend all that beauty. His eyes auto-focused onto the striking green of the strangers eyes, curious and amused.

 

“I certainly hope so.”

 

_Oh shit._

 

His voice was low, distinctly captivating. Sonny fought to hide the shiver that ran down his spine.

 

“Are you looking for anything in particular?” His next breath was filled with relief. His voice had calmed down somewhat, though the nerves were making his accent even thicker.

 

It was ridiculous. He had been in this stranger’s presence for not even half a minute, and he felt like the ground had split open beneath him.

 

Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, the man's lips quirked into a smirk, and Sonny felt his heart stutter and stop at the sight.

 

_Oh fucking shit._

 

“Flowers would be ideal.”

 

The surprised laugh that escaped his lips was breathless, and a little too much.

 

“Alright, I'm sure I can help you with that,” he powered through, recovering somewhat quickly. “Who’s it for?”

 

The beautiful stranger faltered a little, letting his confidence slip for a split second.

 

“I… a man I'm seeing.” The man gritted his teeth, his jaw clenching, and it really shouldn't have been so captivating to watch.

 

Sonny stepped a little closer, gaining a little courage in himself, allowing himself to be close to someone so beautiful.

 

“Just a guy, huh?” he pressed, hoping to gain a little insight into who this mysterious partner was. “Gonna need a little more than that. Don't want to give roses to a daisies man, after all.”

 

The stranger sighed, and turned back to the flower display in the corner. Sonny couldn't help but notice just how wonderfully lit up the man was, the sunlight streaming through the window bringing out the flecks of grey in his hair, the golden hue of his eyes. Once again, Sonny's breath left him for a moment, his head felt dizzy and grounded all at once.

 

“We're going to the opera tonight. I was hoping to give him something… something that represents him.”

 

Sonny wondered for a moment if perhaps he should feel jealous of the guy who had this man's heart, who got to hold him in his arms and know he had brilliance.

 

_Quit jumping the gun, Sonny._

 

“Tell me about him,” he coaxed.

 

The small smile that graced the man's lips was a work of art. The pure affection in his eyes was something akin to love, an absolutely stunning portrayal of everything Sonny wanted to find in a relationship. He couldn't help but sigh as the man turned to face him, and for a split second he let himself believe that the love was for him.

 

“He's… he's beauty,” the stranger began, averting his gaze, killing Sonny's fantasy instantly. “He's the most beautiful man I've ever met, absolutely exquisite. I look into his eyes sometimes, and I… I can't believe he wants to be with me. I want him to know that, you know? Words are my life, but when I'm looking into those damn eyes, I'm speechless.”

 

Sonny swallowed thickly, his heart thumping wildly. That was devotion. That was affection. That was love.

 

“There’s this idea that certain flowers have special meaning,” Sonny started, softly, managing to bring those green beauties back onto him. “Happiness, loss… beauty.”

 

At that, the man's eyes widened wonderfully, before softening. “Beauty,” he murmured. “I like that.”

 

Sonny glanced around his shop, before he spied the bouquet he was looking for. With three long strides, he lifted it carefully out of its place. He turned, only to nearly collide with the stranger, who had clearly followed him.

 

“Oh, sorry, I didn't--” Sonny started, feeling the heat rise up in his cheeks as he realised just how close they were.

 

If the stranger noticed, he didn't say anything, instead his eyes raked over the flowers in Sonny's hands.

 

“These are stunning. What are they?”

 

Sonny cleared his throat. “Amaryllis. It's said that the red petals represent passion, beauty…” he trailed off, avoiding the word 'love.’

 

The man bit his lip, and Sonny swore his knees nearly gave out then and there.

 

“They're perfect. I'll take them.”

 

Mostly out of fear of what he might say, Sonny wordlessly brought the flowers to the counter, and began to wrap them up.

 

“So this is your place?” the man questioned, eyeing the shop with an unreadable expression on his face.

 

“Yeah, had it for a few years now,” he mumbled, returning his attention to the task at hand.

 

“I've always walked passed here on my way to work.”

 

“Oh? You work near here?” Sonny asked, the excitement just a little too evident in his voice. If the man worked close by, there was always a chance he'd bump into him around the neighbourhood. It was almost pathetic how much Sonny enjoyed just the idea of that.

 

“At the courthouse,” he replied, flicking through the card options near the front counter. “I'm a lawyer.”

 

Sonny stopped in his tracks, frozen for a second, before he slowly lifted his head.

 

“You're joking,” he half-laughed, the coincidence too great.

 

The man almost glared at him, clearly not appreciating the implication that he would joke about his career.

 

“No, I'm not.”

 

“I'm sorry, it's just… I graduated from law school last year.”

 

The shift from confusion, to shock, to respect was so quick it was almost hilarious.

 

“You… you own a business, and you graduated law school,” he commented incredulously.

 

Sonny shrugged. “Passed the bar and everything. I mean, it was night school, Fordham Law, but still.”

 

“Booyah, Fordham Law,” the man muttered, returning his gaze to the cards before him.

 

“I always appreciated the law,” Sonny continued, pushing through the sting of being dismissed, applying the finishing touches to the bouquet. “When I was a detective, I always struggled with the idea that once I made the arrest, I had no control over the outcome. I don't know if I'll do anything with my degree, but it was so interesting to learn about--”

 

“I'll take this,” the stranger interrupted, placing a card on the counter.

 

Sonny faltered, shaking his head slightly. His ability to overshare had probably just put him out of favour with the beautiful man.

 

He silently rung up the purchase, watching as the man signed the card using a gold pen, clearly his favourite. Before he tied the card to the bouquet, Sonny spied the name that was signed at the bottom.

 

_Rafael x_

 

When Sonny handed over the flowers, and the man -- Rafael -- gave him a muttered thanks, he almost didn't say anything.

 

He almost let Rafael walk out the door.

 

But as he watched the bronzed hand reach for the door handle, his heart screamed for him to say something, anything.

 

“See you around, Counselor,” he called out. He watched as Rafael turned back to him, and Sonny knew he must have been blushing furiously, enough to match the exquisite flowers in Rafael's hands. “Stop by anytime.”

 

Rafael eyed him for a moment, curious and suspicious, before he nodded. “Perhaps.”

 

With that, Rafael left.

 

The ring of the door bell pounded in Sonny's ears, long after Rafael had gone, matching the rapid beating of his heart.

 

There was something about the stranger that had taken a hold of him, something that told Sonny that this might only be the beginning.

 

_You're in too deep, Sonny._

 

He tried to ignore the rational voice in his mind, but it was no use.

 

If this was being in too deep then Sonny was ready to drown in Rafael.

 


	2. Take Me With You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a true millennia since I have posted literally anything, so here's a quick life update as to why:
> 
> 1) Work. I've been working 7 days a week most weeks, the rest have been 6 days a week. It's been stressful and draining.
> 
> 2) Study. I've been studying television screenwriting which has been AMAZING because I've been creating a gay lawyers television show, but also the struggle is real.
> 
> 3) Life. I am a stressed out anxious mess a thousand percent of the time and that has messed with my ability to write.
> 
> Thanks to tobeconspicuous for the beta, and for prodding me to write every other week. Bless you!
> 
> Hopefully you all enjoy this corny chapter! I promise actual plot is coming soon!
> 
> Kudos/comments are always appreciated ;)

_ “I asked for them by the 24th!”  _ The shrill voice screeched into Sonny's ear. His headache pounded behind his eyes as he glared at the computer screen before him.

 

“I have your original email here,” he gritted out, as nicely as he possibly could given that they had been arguing for twenty minutes. “This says by the 24th of July. It's May.”

 

_ “Well, it was clearly a typo!” _

 

Sonny pointedly rested his forehead on his diary and wondered if it was worth smashing his head through the desk. Anything to not have to deal with this customer again.

 

“The next two emails had the same date,” he sighed.

 

_ “Well… clearly I meant May!” _

 

The customer continued to harp on about how this was all Sonny's fault somehow. Amidst all the screaming, Sonny swore he heard the door to his shop open, but he refused to lift his head up from the desk. Reality could wait for a moment.

 

“Ma'am, I'm sorry,” he eventually cut in, desperate for the conversation to end. “I can offer you a discount on your next purchase if you'd--”

 

_ “I won't be using your services again.” _

 

With that final sentence, the customer hung up.

 

Sonny gave it about five seconds before he slammed the phone onto the counter.

 

“Fuck,” he groaned, throwing his arms around his head.

 

“That sounded fun.”

 

Sonny froze, keeping his face covered for just a little bit longer. Disbelief flooded through him. 

 

_ No way. _

 

His head lifted slowly, eyes locking onto the amused green orbs he had spent a month and two days obsessing over.

 

“Hey,” was all he could allow himself to speak, fearing that one wrong word would have Rafael fleeing his presence.

 

Lips that had captivated him just a few weeks beforehand, were now quirked into an adorable smirk.

 

“Hi.”

 

One muttered syllable, and Sonny felt light, happy. It was as if someone had poured warm, golden honey through his body, comforting him. It was like coming home.

 

Sonny allowed himself a small moment of soaking in the presence of Rafael, perhaps hesitating for a little too long, as Rafael cleared his throat and popped his hip to the side.

 

“Hey,” Sonny croaked out again, cringing at the repetition. “Sorry, hi. What can I do you for?”

 

He winced as the question slipped his lips, and once again considered slamming his head against his countertop. If Rafael noticed his internal pain, however, he didn't show it. Instead he began to gradually pace around the store, one hand in his pocket, the other clinging onto a leather briefcase.

 

“A bouquet. Promptly prepared, if possible.” Rafael eyed the roses section as he spoke, though the way his eyebrows furrowed told Sonny he wasn't interested in purchasing any.

 

“Definitely possible for you.” The heat of embarrassment burnt Sonny's cheeks. “Well, not you. I just-- I mean… you're a customer, and it will--”

 

“It's fine,” Rafael cut in, a sharpness to his tone.

 

Sonny shallowly sighed, and ran a hand through his hair, not caring if it was messy. Sure enough, a few loose curls fell down, tickling his forehead.

 

He felt childish, stupid, harboring a crush on a man he had only met once. But he couldn't ignore the truth. He couldn't ignore the straying thoughts, drifting towards harsh, green eyes and a soft smirk. He couldn't ignore the rapid beating of his heart over the excitement of being near Rafael once again. 

 

“So,” he cleared his throat, gesturing wildly around the room. “Anything in particular?”

 

It was Rafael's turn to sigh, quite dramatically, and to run a hand through his hair.

 

“I feel like nothing will be beautiful enough.” It was more than a whisper, but only just. A muttered confession, brought to life by the rare warmth in his eyes.

 

“Gee, thanks,” Sonny scoffed good-naturedly, shoving his hands into his pockets. The remark earned himself a small eye roll from Rafael, an action in itself that shouldn't have been so beautiful.

 

“I just mean…” he trailed off, eyes squinting as they stared at the clock on the wall. “The person I'm buying these for… they're like sunlight. They warm my soul, they keep me sane. I lo-- I adore them.”

 

As if the world was designed to accentuate Rafael's beauty, a golden beam of light streamed through the window, and shone upon Rafael. Sonny couldn't be sure whether it was the sunlight, or Rafael, that had his blood running warm.

 

_ He's wonderful. _

 

“Wow,” Sonny breathed out softly, almost too scared to move, to make his presence known.

 

Rafael glanced towards him, annoyance in his eyes, as if Sonny had interrupted a private moment.

 

“Well,” he started, his voice a touch harsher, with a little more bite to it. “I need something for… for that.”

 

Sonny had to chuckle at the quick change in Rafael's demeanor. One moment he was a picture of romance, almost poetic in his wide-eyed devotion. The next moment, he was an impenetrable fortress, with walls of steel and snark. With the way his heart was beating, he knew he could spend a lifetime trying to climb those walls, if it meant seeing Rafael's true self.

 

He stepped around the counter, careful to keep his distance. 

 

“You adore them,” Sonny commented. “You’d be wanting a bouquet to show that, yeah?”

 

Rafael nodded slightly, a ghost of a smile gracing his lips. “Yeah…”

 

Sonny's eyes drifted around the store until they found the flowers he was looking for. He stepped forward and reached out to pull a single flower from the bunch.

 

The sunflower. The flower of adoration, the flower from which he had gained his nickname. It was the sunflower that his mother had spotted on an afternoon walk, while holding him in her arms. She had breathed in the faint, sweet scent. “Sonny,” she had whispered, softly pressing her lips to his head. “You're my sunflower.”

 

Sonny took a moment to reflect on the importance of this flower to him. This wasn't the time to share the story with Rafael, but he could share the beauty of the sunflower with him.

 

“This is supposed to represent what you're looking for,” he explained, holding the flower out to Rafael, his breath hitching slightly as Rafael's fingers brushed his own, taking the golden beauty from him. “It, uh… it's supposed to mean adoration. That you adore them.”

 

Rafael twirled the single flower between his fingers, contemplating it.

 

“Isn't it a little--”

 

“Bright?” Sonny cut in, disappointment flooding through him. “Yeah, it's too bright. Sorry, I'll find you something better, I'll--”

 

“I meant, isn't it a little obvious? You know, yellow, happiness?”

 

Sonny crossed his arms, his eyebrows furrowing with confusion. “He's gotta know you're happy by now, it's been a couple of months, right?”

 

The shift from quiet joy to stiff anger was quick. Rafael's jaw clenched as he swallowed, his stare now burning a hole into the flower in his hand.

 

“I’m, uh-- he's not--”

 

“Not what?”

 

“This is someone new.”

 

The realization was like a wave of relief and jealousy, washing over him, relaxing and tensing him in one breath. Rafael had a new lover, someone worthy of his adoration.

 

“So, not with Pretty Boy anymore?” Sonny joked, though he was partly interrogating Rafael, hoping for a hint as to why their relationship ended.

 

To his surprise, Rafael huffed out a small laugh. “No, not anymore. Pretty Boy had a wandering eye and a taste for twenty-something twinks.”

 

Sonny's heart seized for a moment. It ached over the stony expression on Rafael's beautiful face, over the soft pain hiding in his eyes. Rafael was a tough man who just wanted to be loved.

 

He realized about three seconds too late that he had been staring at Rafael, gazing into his eyes.

 

“I-” he started, clearing his throat, looking anywhere but Rafael. “I'll just ring this up for you.

 

Silence surrounded them as Sonny pulled out a handful more, and brought the flowers to the counter and began to prepare them. No matter how hard he tried to avoid even acknowledging Rafael, his soul seemed to seek him out, making him hyper-aware of every little movement that came from Rafael. The little rocking back and forth on his heels. The soft sighs of impatience. The tapping on his phone, most likely answering his emails. If it wasn't for the task at hand, he was certain he could have spent hours just watching Rafael exist.

 

“Think you'll do anything with your law degree?”

 

The question broke the silence so harshly that Sonny jumped a little.

 

“I, uh… I don't know.”

 

The truth was, he did know. He wanted to pursue the law, to help those who needed it. But a part of him didn't want to let go of his livelihood, of the business he had built from the ground up. So his answer remained an “I don't know” until he could make a decision.

 

“Hm,” Rafael hummed as Sonny finalized the bouquet. “That's an expensive thing to be uncertain about.”

 

“Didn’t think you'd care so much about fresh law school graduates.”

 

“I just want to know if I should expect to see you in the courtroom anytime soon, whether or not I will be up against some kind of…  _ flowery  _ arguments.”

 

Sonny couldn't help but laugh at the terrible joke. At the same time, he promised himself to remember the sweet sight of Rafael chuckling over his own attempt at comedy.

 

When the laughter finally died down, Sonny wished he didn't have to say his next words.

 

“So, Rafael… paper or plastic?”

 

After Rafael tapped his card and collected his bouquet, Sonny had half a mind to ask for his number. But that bouquet, the one intended for Rafael's lover, to show the extent of his admiration and adoration for them, stopped Sonny from saying anything.

 

So he watched as Rafael made his way to the front door, his heart screaming at him to confess some kind of attraction. 

 

He almost looked away, too painful to watch Rafael leave his life once again, when he stopped.

 

Rafael was still, facing him, curiosity in his stunning eyes. 

 

“What's your name?”

 

He swallowed thickly, not trusting his voice.

 

“Uh, Sonny. Well, it's Dominick, but everyone calls me Sonny.”

 

It was breathtaking when Rafael's eyes fluttered shut and he breathed in the scent of the flowers in his hands.

 

“Sonny,” he murmured, his eyes opening to rest upon Sonny, softer than anything he had ever seen. “How fitting.”

 

Without any explanation or goodbye, Rafael left, taking a little piece of Sonny's heart with him.

 


End file.
